model rocket guidance

[darrel.h]

Hello all,

Has anyone ever put an active guidance system on a model rocket? I am trying to build a sun seeking guidance system. I need help designing the guidance section. Any help would be greatly appriciated!

Darrel

[Ray]

Just about every military org has put guidance on a rocket...just contact one of them, I'm sure they'll help you out.

I know this sounds like a great project but *I* believe that it hurts the hobby of rocketry. The vast majority of model rockets are not activily guided. As soon as we start adding guidance we get attention that we don't need. "They" are already trying to shut down the hobby because they see it as a terrorist tool.

PLEASE, don't help them to justify their cause by adding guidance to a model rocket.

[BigtonyICU]

Guidance isn't going to make any difference to terrorist the rockets are going to go in a straight line. You want to shout a building just aim the damn rocket at the building... the problem with guidance in more (in my opinion) G forge and drag load. Let me justify my self.

Yes military rocket use guidance, but there also made of aluminum titanium and other metal or composites. They are made to take significant G in corners i.e. AIM-9 sidewinder air to air missiles turning at mach 2.5 (doing the math I got approx. 13 G doing a 1/4 mile turning radius turn).

Most Model rockets bodies are made of cardboard or composite, they can take significant load in the direction of the body tube but there lateral load is very limited. Trying to turn a corner will most likely result in self destruction, plus the added weight will result (at least for small rocket) in horrible performance.

And why track the sun, to keep you rocket safe it should be launched with a maximum of 10 degrees, so on the longest day of the year the rocket could only be launched between 11:07 am and 12:53 pm (based on local solar time).

Based on 16 hour daylight

16x60=960 minutes of daylight on the longest day
960/180degrees=5.333 minutes/degree
10 degree max equal 53.333 minutes


(JUST MY 2 CENTS)

I'd lover to see the government try and band experimental rocketry, (id guess they'd have to ban fireworks, fertilizer & sugar, and even at that I could still make perchlorate from salt and electricity got to love perchlorate cells) they can ban in on paper but they'll never stop the serious enthusiasts

[Zippiot]

For a few bux you can make a gyrocopic guidance. The thing will go as straight as it can, it takes a lot of force to turn against it. So it will try to go as straight as possible from where it was launch, just line up the shot (looking directly at the sun for as long as possible!!).

Extremely modified old hard drives (from computers) have worked in the past. The disks has steel weights strapped to them (how do you ask, I have no idea just read some one's blog about it), and it went off course ( vertical with no parachute) by about 3 feet, launch to impact spot!